Garter-clasp.



J. S. BLINN.

GARTER CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12-, 1909.-

Patented July 15, 1913.

Wit ease:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHXNGTON, D c.

JOSEPH S. BLINN, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

GARTER-GLASP.

Application filed August 12,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. BLINN, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Garter-Clasps, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a garment supporter, and has for its object particularly to provide an improved garter-clasp or hose suspender, the device being also adapted for supporting other classes of apparel besides hosiery, whether suspended from other garments or by a band engaging a part of the body. Reference is made to a prior invention for the same object, forming the subject of Letters Patent No. 921,070, granted to me May 11, 1909, and on which my present invention is an improvement, consisting in the novel connection between the hook and guard, and in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved garter clasp, also showing the garter and a part of the fabric which it supports. Fig. 2 is an end view of the clasp. Fig. 3 is a front view of the clasp shown in the open or unclasped position. Fi 4t front view of the hook portion of the clasp, detached. Fig. 5 is a central vertical cross section of the clasp with the parts in open or unclasped position, enlarged from the preceding figures. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the clasp with the parts in partially closed position, enlarged correspondingly in Fig. Fig. 7 is a cen tral vertical cross section of the clasp with the parts in closed position, enlarged to twice the size of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross section of the holding hook on the line S-8 of Fig. 5, with the guard or shield shown in plan view in engagen'ient therewith- Referring to the drawings, A designates the garter band, comprisingapiece of elastic webbing provided at one end with a metal. ring or eye B, and at the other with a hook D, for engaging the eye to secure the garter in the position in which it is worn, as shown in Fig. 1. The eye is of substantially triangular form, providing for the attachment of the respective ends of the band, and the vertical webbing or suspending part E, by which the garment is supported. To the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1913. 1909. Serial No. 512,591.

lower end of said part E is attached the holding hook F, comprising a metal plate formed with an eyelet G, at its upper end, through which the suspender webbing is looped and thereby attached, and provided at its lower end with a series of teeth H, set with their points pitched slightly upward or inclined to the plate from the horizontal position, to hook upon the fabric which they are designed to hold. These parts of the de vice are all old as disclosed in the aforesaid Letters Patent, here requiring no further description.

Immediately below the eyelet on the same side of the plate as the teeth H, a part of each edge of the plate is folded over and lapped upon the body part slightly separated therefrom, as shown. These folded edges are bent from the area originally comprised in a width of the plate corresponding to that of the eyelet G, which is also that of the lower part of the hook, thus avoiding waste of stock, and reducing the width of the hook at that part. At their lower ends a portion of each of said folded over parts is removed on the side away from the edge, thus leaving the parts 1 above such areas, projecting inwardly beyond the remaining portions 9. The portions 2 extend downward beyond the parts 1 and their lower edges are clamped against the body part, thus forming terminal pockets to the guideways which are comprised by the body part and the folded flaps.

To the holding hook F a guard or shield 3 is connected, having the general proportions of the lower part of the holding hook, with a parallel sided tongue 4t at its upper end, adapted to [it and slide between the portions 2 and under the parts 1. At its upper end said part t is provided with lateral projections'o which engage and are pivoted in the terminal pockets formed by the parts 2. The shield is thus hinged to the holding hook by the engagement of the projections 5 with the said pockets, and while so engaged may be swung fro-1n a position substantially parallel with the hook as shown in Fig. 6 to a position at nearly right angles thereto as shown in Fig. 5. And when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6 the shield may be moved vertically longitudinally of the holding hook to slide the part 4: upwardly under the flaps 1 for the purpose hereinafter set forth, in which movement the projections 5 will be carried along the guide ways between the flaps and the body part of the hook.

To the lower part of the holding hook F, on the side opposite the teeth is attached a short piece of elastic webbing L, of the same width as the suspending webbing E, by means of a rivet 6 passing through the plate, the webbing, and a cap 7 outside of the webbing, having its edge turned under the end of-the =webbingito form a finish thereto, and assist in securing :the parts. This short piece'of webbing is passed through theeyelet of'the hook, and its opposite end is attached in "the same manner to the metal guard or shield 3 by .the rivet Sand cap 9.

'On the lower-part of theeyeleta tubular bearing 10 is-clasped, being slitted to pass over the body part of the hook, as shown particularly in Fig. .7. This bearing provides a smooth curved surface for the webbing L to slide upon as hereinafter described. The webbing is of the requisite length'to be stretched into a state of tension when the parts are'assembled, and it thus exerts its forcelto draw upwardon the guard or shield 3 and normally hold the tongue 4 inserted in the slide way formed by the body of the hook and the flaps 1. The elasticity of the webbing, however, permits the tongue to be readily withdrawn from the slide way, or from beneath the flaps 1, and into the position in which the lateral projections 5 engage the pockets formed by the parts 2, in which position the shield may beswung on the hook from the pockets asa center, to permit the hook to be fastened to or disengaged from the fabric. In this movement the webbing L readily slides upon and stretches over the cylindrical bearing of the eyelet, forwhich purpose the eyelet is provided.

At its lower end, the shield is provided with the blunt prongs 11 in alternate ar rangement with theteeth of the hook, which press upwardly :on .the fabric under the spaces between the teeth and securely clamp andhold it upon the teeth-with unyielding grasp. But the shield may readily be dis engaged from the hook by first pulling it down to the lower limit of its travel in the guideways of the hook, and then swinging it outwardly therefrom, in reversal of the process of clasping it upon the fabric be fore described. For convenience of operating theshield, it is provided with a ring 12 passing under a raised loop strip 13 in the body of the shield below the cap 9. The shield acts effectually as a guard for the teeth of the hook and prevents the fabric from being accidentally slipped therefrom.

Both the teeth of the hook and theprongs of the shield are bent up from the stock of the plates, and the teeth when so formed leave correspondingly shaped apertures 14 in the body of the hook. The tubular bear ing on the lower part of the eyelet G is important forrreducing the friction of the web bing L upon the eyelet, and permitting it to stretch or contract freely on both sides thereof, and obtaining the full tensional effect of the entire length of the piece. It is also important to curve the hook and shield in the direction of their breadth, as shown in Fig. 2 to conform more nearly to the rounded shape of the parts of the human frame upon which they are worn. A superior grasp of the fabric is also obtained by curving the row of teeth of the hook from the horizontal as shown in Figs. 1, 3, l and 5 and correspondingly curving the row of prongs on the shield.

In operation, with the parts of the de vice in the positions shown in Fig. 5, the holding hook being first grappled upon the stocking or other fabric 2', the shield 3 is next closed-down upon it,-as shown in Fig. 6, and the elastic webbing L then draws the tongue at into the slide way under the flaps 1 and thus holds the shield in juxtaposition to the hooks H and secures the fabric in'place.

It is, of course, to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise construction or form of parts illustrated in the drawings, as changes in this regard can be made without departing from-the spirit of my invention as expressed inthe-claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A clasp for garment supports, com prising a hook adapted to-be attached to-the suspender webbing, a shield, a guide on the hook forming a slidable and pivotal sup port and lock for the shield, a parton the shield engaging said guide, and means yieldingly holding the shield out of engagement with the pivoting portion of the guide and in engagement with the locking portion thereof. I r

2. In a garter-clasp or garment support the combination of a hook attached to the Suspender webbing, provided with a slide way or guide and having a terminal or hinge pocket at the end of the slideway, a shieldpivotally engaged with the slide way and pocket to swing from the terminal pocket and slide longitudinally of the guide, and elastic means connected with the hook and shield, adapted to draw the pivot of the shield through the guide, away from the terminal or hinge pocket thereof to clasp the shield upon thehook.

3. In a garter clasp or garment support the combination of a hook provided with a suspending eyelet at one end, a row of holding points orteeth at'the opposite end, and apair of guide ways intermediate thereof on the side of the teeth, a shield provided with clamping prongs, at one end, and a pair of pivotal projections engaging the guide Ways of the hook at the other end, said guideWays having pivot bearings at their inner ends, an elastic Webbing having its ends respectively attached to the hook and shield on the sides opposite the prongs and passing through the eyelet of the hook, and a cylindrical bearing secured on the eyelet for a bearing for the Webbing.

4-. A clasp for garment supporters comprising two garment-engaging members, one of said members being adapted to move longitudinally of the other and the other member being provided with a slot at its upper end, a Webbing passing through said 1 slot and connecting the members together, and a bearing over which the webbing passes consisting of a tube slit along one side and introduced over the lower edge of said slot.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, 20 I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH S. BLINN.

WVitnesses: s

P. M. F. EIGI-IMANN, HARRIET I. CARTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

